Floating tank top



July 4-, 1967 A LEE 3,329,301

FLOATING TANK TOP Filed Nov. 21, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FLOATNG TOP ASUPPORT ROD FLEXIBLE HOSE DRAIN SUMP INVENTOR. PERCY A. LEE,

BY +MA 3,7

ATTORNE July 4, 1967 P. A. LEE 3,329,301

FLOATING TANK TOP Filed Nov. 21 1963 s'ro P BAR LOCK WEDGE 82 STEM GUIDETRASH GUARD SCREEN FLOATING TANK TOP FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. P E RC Y A LE E BY gbwni 8, 2

7 A T TQR Ye 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 4, 1967 I p, A, LEE 3,329,301

FLOATING TANK T-OP Filed Nov. 21., 1965 :F'IG. 4A.

IINVENTOR P E RCY A. LE E s Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent3,329,301 FLOATING TANK TOP Percy A. Lee, Houston, Tex., Frankie H. Leeand Martha Lee Barnes, executrices of said Percy A. Lee, deceased,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Esso Research and EngineeringCompany, Elizabeth, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 21, 1963,Ser. No. 325,434 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-26) This invention relates tofloating tank tops used in tanks for storing liquids. More particularly,this invention is a floating tank top including an automatic valvemechani m.

Briefly described, the invention comprises a floating tank top in a tankadapted to store liquid. A normally closed valve mechanism is includedin the floating tank top. Structure is provided to open the normallyclosed valve mechanism when the liquid level falls to a predeterminedlevel.

The invention, as well as its many advantages, will be understood byreference to the following detailed description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic, elevational view of a floating tank top in atank;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing one embodimentof the valve mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the valve mechanism in theopen position;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing a secondembodiment of the valve mechanism; and

FIG. 4A is a view taken along line 4A-4A of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a tank isshown which is used for storing a liquid such as oil. A floating tanktop 12 including a rim 14 and a centrally located sump 16 is locatedwithin the tank 10. The floating tank top 12 is preferably inclined fromthe horizontal as shown.

The tank top 12 is maintained in the proper position within the tank 10for vertical movement with substantially no lateral movement by means ofmetallic shoes, such as metallic shoes 18 and 20, which are connected toan annular flexible seal 22 which, in turn, is connected to the rim 14.

A plurality of sleeves, such as sleeves 24 and 26, is mounted on thefloating tank top 12. Two sleeves are shown in the schematic drawing ofFIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that in actual practice, manymore sleeves will be used. The sleeves 24 and 26 may be braced by meansof wire braces 28 and 30, respectively.

Pipe supports 32 and 34 are connected to the sleeves 24 and 26,respectively, by metal pins 36 and 38, respectively. The pipe supports32 and 34 extend above and below the sleeves 24 and 26.

A drain including check valve 40 is mounted in the sump 16. The checkvalve 40 is adapted to permit liquid having a density above apredetermined density to flow through check valve 40 and hose 42 and outof the tank 10. The bottom of the tank 10 may be provided with a sump 46to which a conduit 48 is connected. The flow of fluids through conduit48 is controlled by means of valve 50. e

The floating tank top 12 includes a valve mechanism which is shown in'detail in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the valve mechanism includes anannular plate 52 which is connected to the floating tank top 12 -bymeans of bolts 54 and nuts 56. A gasket 58 is located between theannular plate 52 and the floating tank top 12.

An annular valve seat member 60 provided with port 61 may be welded tothe bottom of plate 52. The annular valve seat member 60 has its insideperimeter beveled. The beveled inside perimeter of the annular valveseat member 60 provides a seat for the plug 62 which is connected to afloat 64 by means of bolt 66 and nut 68. The plug 62 is provided with agroove 70 which receives an O-ring 72.

A stem 74 provided with an outwardly extending flange 76 is connected tothe plug 62 by means of bolts 78. A slot 80 is provided in the stem 74.Mounted in the stem 74 above the slot 80 and vertically spaced therefromis a stop bar 82. Also, a handle 84 is mounted across the top of thestem 74.

A stem guide 86 is fixedly connected to the top of annula-r plate 52 bybraces 88. A metal sheet 90 is also mounted about the stem guide 86. Ascreen 92 is connected to the metal sheet 90 and rests on the top ofannular plate 52. A wedge 94 is connected to handle 84 by a chain orWire 96.

A second embodiment of a floating valve mechanism is shown in FIGS. 4and 4A. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A, a valve seat 98 which is connectedto the floating tank top 12 is adapted to seat a hemispheric plug 100. Abracket 102 is connected to the bottom of valve seat 98 and supports aguide sleeve 104. A first float 106 and a second float 108 are pivotallyconnected to the valve stem 110 by means of rods 112 and 114-,respectively. A pivot pin 116 extends through elongated holes formed inrod 112, rod 114, and valve stem 110.

The operation of my new floating tank top system will be explained withreference to the storage of oil. However, it is to be understood thatthis new floating tank top system may be used in combination with tanksused to store other liquids. When the liquid level in the tank 10 issuch that the supports 32 and 34 are spaced above the bottom of tank 10,the liquid level will normally extend to a level 118 (see FIG. 1). If itshould rain, the water, being heavier than oil, will accumulate in thesump 16 and flow through check valve 40 and hose 42 out of the tank 10.However, if sufficient oil has been removed from the tank 10 so that thesupports 32 and 34 rest on the bottom of tank 10, the oil level 120 (seeFIG. 3) will be located below the sump 16. Also, the hose 42 becomescoiled due to slack. Hence, the efiiciency of the drainage of water isgreatly decreased. As a result, several floating tank tops have beencompletely demolished and made useless by water accumulating on the topof the floating tank tops due to a downpour while the supports 32 and 34are resting on the bottom of the tank 10. It has been found that thedrainage from the ump 16 under heavy rain conditions is not sufficientto prevent the destruction of the floating tank top.

With my new system, however, the normally closed valve mechanism openswhen the floating tank top 12 is in its lowermost position within thetank 10. The open position of the valve mechanism is shown in FIG. 3. ASshown in FIG. 3, the float 64 continues to fall with the fall of the oillevel after the floating tank top 12 has reached its lowermost position.The plug 62 is moved from engagement with the port 61 formed in thefloating tank top. Thus, any excess water which is not drained from thesump 16 will overflow through the port 61 into the tank 10. This watercan be removed from the sump 46 in the bottom of the tank 10 by means ofconduit 48.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that normally the float 64 maintainsthe plug 62 in sealing engagement within the port 61. However, when thetank top 12 falls to its lowermost position, further movement of thetank top 12 is prevented. Thereafter, the float 64 will fall along withthe liquid level to disengage the plug 62 from its seat. The downwardmovement of the plug 62 is limited by the engagement of the bar 82 withstem guide 86.

When the tank 10 is again refilled with liquid, the plug 62 willautomatically sealingly engage the seat in annular member 60. If it isdesired to close the valve mechanism in the event of float failure or Oring failure or before the 3 4 tank 10 is refilled with liquid, it isonly necessary that the top, and at least one float member extendingbelow handle $4 be pulled upwardly and the wedge 94 placed said tanktopoperatively connected to the plug wherein the slot 80 in stem 74-. bywhen the floating tank top is in the lowermost If the embodiment shownin FIGS. 4 and 4A is used in position permitted by the said supportmembers and place of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the r'the liquid level in the tank thereafter falls suflicientl I a Q yhemispheric plug 100 will be moved upwardly from its to be out offloatlng relationship with said float memseat after the float in tanktop 12 has reached its lowerber, the plug is moved from sealingengagement with most position and the floats 106 and 108 have thereaftersaid port as said float moves a predetermined disfallen along with afall in the liquid level. tance from said floating tank top.

I claim: 10 In bi i References Cited a tank adapted to store liquid;UNITED STATES PATENTS a floating tank top 1n the tank and having acentrally 628,581 7/1899 Grosswyler 137 433 mated Sump 1 559 016 10/1925Stovall 220-26 a flexible hose connected to the sump adapted to drain 15liquid from the sump through the tank to the outside 1633581 6/1927Gordon et a1 137433 1,720,919 7/1929 Nesbitt 137 423 P 2 050 686 8/1936Wiggins a plurality of support members mounted on and extend- 2536O771/1951 0 rr et al. 220 14 mg below said floating tank top and adapted tol1m1t 2 560 586 7/1951 Mbhq 1 220 26 the lowermost position of thefloating tank top; and 20 2735574 2/1956} h g; 22O:26 a valve mechamsmseparately located from said sump 2,931,534 4/1960 Wiggins 220*26 whichvalve mechanism is normally closed when the floating tank top isfloating on the stored liquid in THERON CONDON Primary Examiner thetank, said valve mechanism including a plug adapted to sealingly fit ina port in said floating tank 25 JAMES GARRETT Examine"-

